5 September 2008
AILING President Umaru Ya'Adua is not returning home from Saudi Arabia immediately, contrary to public expectation in the last few days.
Vanguard sources said the President's aged mum also left for Saudi Arabia two days ago, although it was not clear whether she too was going for the lesser hajj or to see the son.
Same sources said among other family members tending to the health of the President in Saudi Arabia is the eldest daughter, Maryam, who has been of tremendous assistance in the renal treatment of President Yar'Adua. Maryam, Vanguard was informed, is the wife of Alhaji Badamasi Kabir Usman (son of the late Emir of Katsina) whose election to the House of Representatives was annulled recently.
Aviation sources also told Vanguard last night that the National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Vincent Ogbulafor; Secretary, Prof Abubakar Kawu Baraje; and wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, flew out of the country yesterday on a British Airways flight to London. It was not confirmed, but our sources suspected that all of these persons might be on their way to Saudi Arabia to check on the health of the President.
The absence of the President from home has forced a sharp reduction in government activities in the Villa over the last two weeks, even as Nigerians seek more information on his state of health.
Only on Wednesday, Information Minister, Mr. John Odey, briefed State House correspondents, saying the President was still performing the Umrah, and would return home upon the completion of his religious duties.
But Mr. Odey was quick to concede that the President might have used his visit to Saudi Arabia to undergo medical check-up.
He said: "Like I informed you the last time, the President before he left here informed us that he was going for lesser hajj. Of course that is true. Today (Wednesday) also, we inquired from the Vice President who has been in touch with him, they also spoke yesterday (Tuesday), and by the close of work today (Wednesday) we will also confirm his schedule when he will come back and obviously I will inform you accordingly," he said.
Mr. Odey dismissed criticisms that information about the president's visit to Saudi Arabia and his health was poorly managed by both the president's office and the Ministry of Information and Communications.
He said: "I don't think there is any delay of information because I informed you the very day the President travelled from here. A week after, I also informed you and few days ago, I reiterated the same statements that I made that the President travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj.
And yesterday (Tuesday), the Vice President was in touch with him on phone and by the close of work today (Wednesday), we will be able to confirm to you his schedule and when he will return to the country."
Asked whether the president took advantage of his visit to Saudi Arabia to have a medical check up, the minister said the president was at liberty to do so if he so chooses.
"Yes of course, he is free to take advantage of his visit to do his medical check-up. But I can assure you that he is hale and hearty," he said.
The minister implored Nigerians, especially the media, to exercise restraint in their reportage, adding that the president's itinerary would be made public after consultations between the President and the Vice President.
He may return weekend - Source
Another source told Vanguard, last night, that the President may return by weekend.
Anxiety, controversy over Yar'Adua's health legitimate - Union
However, the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers Union (NUTGTWN) sees nothing unusual about the anxiety and controversy over the health of President Yar'Adua, saying it once again confirms remarkable patriotism of the citizens.
The union's General Secretary, Comrade Issa Aremu, in a statement yesterday, entitled: "Health of the President is as important as the health of the nation," said, the health of the President was not in any way different from the health of the nation
His words: "The controversy over the health of President Umaru Yar'Adua is legitimate. It once again confirms remarkable patriotism of the citizens only. Citizens that love their country spend so much energy to demand accountability about their President's health. But as significant and concerned as this discussion, the health of Mr. President is not in any way different from the health of the nation. We must, therefore, be as passionate about the President's health no less as the health of the nation.
"World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as complete state of physical, social and economic well-being of people not necessarily the absence of illness or diseases. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has a noble vision to make Nigeria one of the 20 biggest economies of the world by the year 2020. The issue is how have we moved to achieve this great vision? How has this noble vision impacted on the health of the nation?
"Take health for instance, 7-point agenda of the present administration, under Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua, mentions health as one of its programmes on human capital development. But our health indicators are still below global average. Life expectancy of 47 years is less than Ghana's 55 years and Cuba's 70 years.
Two hundred and fifty infants of 1,000 births die before the age of five. Curable diseases like typhoid and malaria kill more than HIV/AIDS that has no cure. The challenge is to reinvent our health sector in ways in which President, Governors and citizens can be attended to here in Nigeria and in ways we must protect and enhance human capital.
"For a nation not at war, our educational outcomes are still dismal. The recent teachers' strike shows that much work has to be done to dignify the teaching profession, reinvent public school, ensure mass school enrolment and halt the re-emergence of new illiteracy.
There is still a gap between 7-point agenda in relation to wealth generation and the reality of industrial factory collapse, mass unemployment and mass de-skilling in the land. The health of the nation demands that we urgently stop the mass dumping of imports currently killing domestic firms, create enabling environment for investment retention and job creation," he said.
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